“There were audible groans from the stands as Ponder missed high to several receivers in that first practice of 2011. On Friday, his only miss was a corner he slightly overthrew to tight end Kyle Rudolph, who hauled in seven of Ponder's strikes -- including another corner throw between two defenders that drew one of the day's loudest cheers.”

"Just the comfort level is night and day from this year to last year, having the offseason program," Rudolph said. "Coming in last year, you were learning everybody's name with faces, you're learning the playbook, you're learning your routine, and to have a training camp under your belt as well as an offseason, that definitely makes everything kind of seem second nature."